Amit Shah Directs National Study to Curb Mass Agitations, Analyze Protest Funding, and Tackle Extremism:

New Delhi, July 2025 — In a significant move aimed at strengthening internal security and preventing large-scale protests allegedly driven by "vested interests," Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) to conduct an in-depth study of all major protests in India since 1974. The directive was issued during the two-day National Security Strategies Conference-2025, held in the last week of July in New Delhi and organized by the Intelligence Bureau. According to senior government officials, the BPR&D has been tasked with preparing a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) after analyzing the causes, funding patterns, key players, and outcomes of historical agitations. The aim is to develop a framework that will help law enforcement agencies identify early warning signs and prevent such mass mobilizations in the future. “The focus will be on identifying financial aspects and the behind-the-scenes players who might have orchestrated these movements for ulterior motives,” an official said. Financial Probe into Protests To aid this investigation, Shah has asked the BPR&D to collaborate closely with financial intelligence and enforcement bodies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND), and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). These agencies have been asked to examine financial irregularities and trace the funding sources behind protests and agitations. Officials say this step is part of a broader strategy to expose and dismantle terror funding networks and illicit financial channels that may be fueling unrest and extremism. As part of this, a separate SOP will be prepared specifically for identifying unknown terror networks and their financial footprints. State Police to Assist with Data Collection The BPR&D, under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), is in the process of forming a specialized team that will coordinate with state police departments. These teams will gather old case files, including inputs from Crime Investigation Departments (CID) across states, to piece together protest timelines, financial trails, and other intelligence. SOP for Religious Gatherings Beyond political and ideological protests, Shah also raised concerns over safety at large religious gatherings. Referring to tragic incidents like stampedes, the Home Minister has asked BPR&D to conduct a separate study to understand the root causes behind such occurrences. The outcome will be another SOP aimed at regulating and monitoring mass religious congregations to prevent avoidable casualties. Special Focus on Punjab: Khalistani Extremism & Narco-Terrorism In another key directive, Amit Shah has emphasized the need for a targeted strategy for Punjab, especially to counter Khalistani extremism, organized crime, and drug trafficking. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), Border Security Force (BSF), and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have been instructed to develop distinct methodologies for tackling these challenges. A senior official said that these agencies will assemble dedicated teams with in-depth knowledge of Punjab’s socio-political landscape. Shah reportedly stressed the importance of "out-of-the-box thinking" and even suggested shifting high-profile criminals, who continue to operate from behind bars, to prisons in other parts of the country to disrupt their networks. “The goal is to break the nexus between criminals and extremist elements, both inside and outside the jails,” the official added. A Long-Term Security Vision Shah’s comprehensive directions reflect a proactive and multi-agency approach to internal security—bridging law enforcement, intelligence, and financial investigation. By developing SOPs rooted in historical analysis and real-time coordination, the Ministry of Home Affairs hopes to build resilience against destabilizing forces, whether domestic or foreign-backed. This initiative marks a critical step towards national preparedness, as the government intensifies its efforts to ensure peace, public safety, and sovereignty in an increasingly complex security landscape.

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